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Discover the hidden gems of Chinatown and North Beach’s Beatnik history

Make your own fortune cookie while listening to traditional music from the Chinese erhu

Sample traditional Chinese pastries

Learn about the powers of traditional Chinese tea during a tasting with a tea master

Overview

Discover where east meets west, where fortunes are told with more sincerity than get you’re your average fortune cookie, and where legends live on. From the North Beach of the Beatniks to San Francisco’s iconic Chinatown, get a taste of local life.

What to Expect

San Francisco is famous for its colorful neighborhoods and interesting residents, and this 2.5-hour tour is your chance to experience this first-hand. Explore one of the largest and oldest Chinese communities outside Asia and the European charm of the birthplace of the Beatniks in North Beach.

On this San Francisco tour you’ll explore the neighborhoods where the exotic East meets the birthplace of the American Beat Generation. Spend some time with a local guide discovering places you never knew existed.

Starting at the Chinatown Gate, your local guide will lead you through the bustling streets of this vibrant area. Learn about the history of the Chinese community during San Francisco's gold rush and America's rail building boom.

Stop at one of Chinatown’s oldest bakeries for an authentic mooncake pastry. The traditional Chinese delicacies served here are so good even former U.S. President Bill Clinton has stopped in to try one!

From here, you’ll make your to Waverly Place to visit the oldest Chinese temple in America, and have your fortune read as the perfume of incense fills the air. Next you’ll head down the street for a taste of fortune cookies hot off the press. Check to see if this fortune matches the one from the temple!

Wash down the sweet treats during a tea tasting session, where you’ll learn about the different types and flavors of traditional Chinese tea.

Next, it’s on to North Beach to see the famous hangouts of Beat poets Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsburg, including the City Lights Bookstore, which still publishes the works of local poets. Get a feel for North Beach and the vibe of Little Italy as you wind your way through the shops and cafés of the Barbary Coast.

You’ll finish up your walking tour at Washington Square Park, adjacent to some excellent Italian restaurants and Coit Tower, and with easy access to public transportation.